ISO16000!

[Ferenc MÓGOR]

ISO16000! AI Noise reduction applied in Photoshop 24.7 (Beta). Please take a look at before/after pix. I think AI NR didn't need to work hard in this case.

Canon EOS R6 mk1 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM
1/25s, F4.5, 35mm, ISO16000


Before NR:

After NR:

Canon EOS R6 mk1 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM
1/25s, F4.5, 35mm, ISO16000

 

[ACEkin]

Neither image suffers from any excessive noise at all. That said, a little noise never bothered me, that's part of the game.

 

[Only RF]

Is 24.7 beta? The CC app told me there was an update for bug fixes, etc. It never mentioned beta. It does not say beta when I check the about PS thingy. I don't use PS these days because LrC does everything I need. There have been complaints about files not opening if you send them from LrC to PS. I just tried it and it worked.

Yes it did not have to work hard but it looks good. Some noise is required for print to prevent posterization and does add to detail. For web posting I'll apply the same amount of Adobe Denoise AI. If I want a silky smooth background I'll mask it and remove more noise. Actually I can pretty much wipe it out completely at that stage.

 

[MikeZ]

I agree with Cemal - there is very little noise, and only noticeable when you zoom-in on the image. I've never tried an ISO that high and I must admit that some experimentation is due. Just how high am I willing to let the ISO go?

 

[Only RF]

I agree with Cemal - there is very little noise, and only noticeable when you zoom-in on the image. I've never tried an ISO that high and I must admit that some experimentation is due. Just how high am I willing to let the ISO go?

20000

40000

Original

 

[Only RF]

PS numbering is a little off. While it is version 24.7 it is actually still PS 2023. I believe the Beta version is PS 2024 and people are having issue with sending a file from LrC to PS.

 

[ACEkin]

I remember the film days of shooting high ISO film because it had more pronounced grains. I think the ability to reduce the noise made it highly undesirable. I try to enjoy the photograph rather than be distracted by noise or lack of bokeh. This set of samples at an even higher ISO setting has nothing that bothers me.

 

[MikeZ]

Well, it looks like that last set of images answers my question of just how high should I let the ISO go. I don't see any real issue with noise on the last set of images (20,000 and 40,00 ISO). Maybe if you were to print at 16x20 inches or larger you might see noise, and maybe not given the subject. Thanks for the samples and helping me to get over my "fear" of high ISOs.

 

[Only RF]

Well, it looks like that last set of images answers my question of just how high should I let the ISO go. I don't see any real issue with noise on the last set of images (20,000 and 40,00 ISO). Maybe if you were to print at 16x20 inches or larger you might see noise, and maybe not given the subject. Thanks for the samples and helping me to get over my "fear" of high ISOs.

In 2009 I was asked to shoot a high school football game with my 7D. It was an evening game and my telephoto was f/4. That night I learned what the meaning of a fast lens was. What I would have given for another stop. I had no choice but to shoot at ISO 12800 and could just maintain a shutter speed of 1/500. On many shots the SS was slower. I only had PS back then. I cleaned up the files, the 8 by 10 prints looked great and the family loved them. A bit of motion blur in the hands and feet but it gave it a bit an action feel.

Since that day I have never been afraid of high ISO. I'd rather get a noisy shot I can work with instead of a blurry shot. These days we have apps like Topaz Sharpen AI for de-blurring but I never shoot with that in mind. I never keep any OFF shots unless I really need to. If I couldn't get it right I don't keep it.

I have a friend who still won't go past ISO 400. 800 max. Still locked into the film days.

 

[Ferenc MÓGOR]

To get the ball rolling here's another shot, but this time taken with the EOS R6 mk1 at an extreme ISO102,400 in my kitchen of the cast iron skillet rack. Its a DIY rack made by myself, but that just another part of me. Processed in Photoshop with AI NR with some signs of noise, but hey, this is ISO102,4k!! Comments most welcome.

Canon EOS R6 mk1 + Rf 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM

1/200s, F5, 35mm, ISO102,400

 

[Only RF]

Not the best example because the rabbit is a little OOF but there is a reason I'm using it. ISO 32000 and about 2 stops underexposed. Adobe Denoise AI at 65. The background still showed more noise than I like for web presentation. OK for subject because it is less noticeable than the background and a little noise is good for detail.

I'm using this technique from this series where he creates two files, one for background noise and the other for subject noise. You open both files in PS and blend the two. Now since advanced masking in LrC I don't have to have to use PS anymore. Steve also says in his videos that a little nose is good to prevent posterization when printing and he pointed out it helps with detail. For web I'm fine with silky smooth.

New Video Workshop - Noise Reduction Using LR & PS - Backcountry Gallery

For a LONG time now, I’ve had people asking if I was ever going to do a post-processing guide of some sort. I have gone back and forth on it, waffling between e-books and videos, and finally decided to do a video series. (I just think that for post processing, video is the best way […]

backcountrygallery.com

LrC with all settings at zero.

Deniose followed by LrC masking to smooth the background. I pushed NR to the max and reduced sharpening to -60 and texture to -40.

 

[Ferenc MÓGOR]

Fantastic transformation of the picture. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Only RF]

Fantastic transformation of the picture. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks. ISO is not as critical as a correct exposure but sometimes you have to work with it. That didn't help the rabbit details as much as a correct exposure would have. Nice little process to have in the hip pocket. When you get in there you can modify so many things. You can apply subject, background, radial, linear and brush masks to areas to smoothen out noise where it distracts the most.